Winding stem



Oct. 5, 1954 H. E. vERMoT 2,690,644

WINDING STEM Filed Oct. lO, 1951 FIG.2

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i I6 INVENTOR HENRI E. vERMor ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 5, 1954 U TE TENTOFFICE WINDING STEM Henri Edmond Verniot, Lancaster Township,

Lancaster County, Pa., assignor to Hamilton Watch Company, Lancaster,Pa.

1 Claim.

This invention is directed to an improved winding stem for watches.

The object of the invention is to provide a one piece winding stem whichmay be held to permit the crown to be assembled or removed without theuse of special tools.

Heretofore, where a watch is cased in a solid back case and the movementis inserted from the dial side, it is necessary to have a two piece stemin order to 'be able to insert the movement without damaging the stem.With the two piece stem it is necessary to increase the distance fromthe edge of the movement to the inside rim of a case, thus making itnecessary to have a larger watch.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a one piece sternwhich having been affixed to the movement may be inserted in the openingof a solid back case and the crown afterwards aixed to the threaded endof the stem.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a collar onsaid stem having flattened opposed surfaces which may be engaged by anyordinary jewelers tool, such as a screw driver, so that the stem may befirmly held to attach or remove the crown.

The invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is an enlarged perspective view of the stem.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view showing the :function of the flattenedopposed surfaces.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the particular type of watch-case towhich the invention is applicable.

Referring particularly to the drawing, the winding stem for a watch isformed with the ordinary screw threaded end 5 for the reception of thecrown. The other end of the stem is formed with a bearing 6, a squaredsection 'I for the reception of the clutch and the winding arbor, acollar B and bearing 9.

Adjacent the bearing 9 a collar Il) is formed with two iiat opposedsides II. The crown I2 is threaded on the end 5 until it abuts the tipI3. This crown must be turned tightly on the screw threaded end 5 sothat the watch may be set in a counter-clockwise motion and to permitthe back turning of the crown during the winding operation withoutturning the crown oi the stem. It would be, of course, possible to turnthe crown on the threaded end 5 until the mainspring was completelywound, and using the wound mainspring as a stop to continue turning thecrown until it engaged the tip I3. This, however, would put a tremendousstrain on the winding gears and the mainspring which would probablyrupture one or the other before the crown was tightened sui'liciently.It is, therefore, necessary in a one piece stem that some means beprovided to securely hold the stem while the crown is threaded thereon,The forming of the flats Il 0n the collar I0 permits the insertion of ascrew driver I4 within a slot I5 of the case I6, the screw driverbinding against the edge I'I of the slot and the at side II of thecollar Ill. Figure 2 shows the screw driver inserted to hold the stem topermit removal of the crown. This construction permits the crown to besecurely tightened on the stem without the addition of special tools forholding the stem and allows the dial I8 to be brought closer to theupstanding rim I9 of the case I6, thus permitting an overall smallerwatch.

Referring particularly to Figure 3 a watchcase I6 of the type used withthis one piece winding stem is shown. The watch-case is formed with asolid back, an upper rim I9 and a movement supporting annular shoulder20. A hole 2l formed in the side permits the insertion of the one piecewinding stem while lugs 22 receive a v strap or band.

What is claimed is:

The combination of a watch-case with a one piece winding stem, said casebeing formed with a solid back and an unbroken'rim and with a wellbetween the edge of the dial and the rim of the case, said winding stembeing formed with a collar projecting into said well, said collar havinghat opposing surfaces whereby a screw driver may be inserted between theedge of the well and one of the hat surfaces of the stem to prevent thestem from turning.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,480,511 Colomb Jan. 8, 1924 1,661,232 Perret Mar. 6, 19281,976,064 Fink Oct. 9, 1934 2,372,771 Drescher Apr. 3, 1945

